Mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing for a user-customized survey or election service system and method

ABSTRACT

Mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing for a user-customized survey or election service system and method are provided. The mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing-based user-customized survey or election service provides an editor&#39;s metadata frame for creating user-customized survey or election service contents to information devices including user&#39;s smartphone from a service server and a metadata description frame database for generating the editor&#39;s metadata frame and storing the user&#39;s contents to the service server.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present invention is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/007,255 filed on Aug. 31, 2020, which is a CIPapplication of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/705,391 filed on Sep.15, 2017, which is a CIP application of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/146,106 filed on Oct. 10, 2011. This application claims prioritiesfrom Korea Patent Application No. 10-2009-0008745 filed on Feb. 4, 2009and PCT Patent Application No. PCT/KR2010/000665 filed on Feb. 3, 2010,all of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a system and a method foruser-customized survey or election service. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a system and a method for theuser-customized survey or election service by compiling statistics withusers' opinions collected through voting, public opinion polls, surveys,and other feedback and providing the user opinions.

BACKGROUND ART

When an election/voting process and a public opinion poll are largelydivided, the election part includes organizing information of acandidate running for a particular election, promoting and opening toelection participants, managing voters, drawing and managing votingresults, and the voting participant demands for accurate and promptinformation about the candidate from an election administrator and toguarantee an unrestricted voter environment. Meanwhile, the publicopinion poll is largely divided into determining and suggesting questionitems in a field to survey, determining and suggesting response itemsfor each question item, selecting responses of respondents, andcompiling and managing statistics with the survey results.

In most of current election votes, the information of the candidate isopened mainly using a poster of a paper medium or a banner, and arepresentative election voting is an analogue voting where the voterattends a certain place within a certain time period and casts a vote inperson.

As such, the current representative voting method not only takesconsiderable expenses economically but also increases an abstention rateaccording to physical movement of the voter who is under physicallimitation, and thus the election voting method needs to be enhanced.

Meanwhile, a representative opinion survey for a specific purpose is apublic opinion poll. Since the current public opinion polling methodmainly performs a method for responding to a questionnaire made ofpaper, a survey method according to question and answer over the phone,or an approach via a polling service provider, the physical limitationon the questioner and the respondent is great and a service techniquemanageable directly by users including the manager is not developed.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2005-0102046 (ELECTRONIC VOTING ANDELECTION SYSTEM) is an electronic voting system which includes a voterID confirmation terminal for identifying a voter by searching anintegrated voter register DB or a unit voter register DB connectedthrough a network, and storing voting to the integrated voter registerDB or the unit voter register DB in real-time when the identification ofthe voter and the duplicated voting are successfully checked by the IDconfirmation means, an electronic voting ticket issuer for issuing anelectronic voting ticket capable of displaying election and electiondistrict information, and an images of a relevant election district andcandidate combination and erasing the stored information aftercompleting the voting, and an electronic voting machine operated in anoffline method independent of the integrated voter register confirmationDB, guiding the voter in a voting procedure when the voter inserts theelectronic voting ticket, and storing a voting result of the voter. Theelectronic voting machine includes a candidate information storingmedium for storing the image of the candidate combination registered toall of the voting districts of the nation, a display device fordisplaying the image of the candidate combination of the district of thevoter stored to the candidate information storing medium based on theinformation stored to the electronic voting card, an input device forselecting one of the candidates displayed in the display device, avoting result storage device for storing the voting result, and anoutput device for printing and outputting the voting result to a votingrecording paper.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0102051 (ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMUSING INTERNET) is an electronic voting system including a candidateinformation storage device which stores an image of a candidate groupregistered to an election district, an integrated voter register DBwhich stores voter information integrated in a national or regionalunit, a certification center which performs identification of the voterwho uses a terminal connected through the Internet through electronicauthentication based on the voter information, and a web server whichprovides the voter certified by the certification center with acandidate selection web screen including the image of the candidategroup, and transmits the voting result through the web screen, as anelection management system for counting and collecting an electionresult per election or per election district.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2005-0001975 (ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMAND ELECTRONIC VOTING METHOD USING ID-BASED BLIND SIGNATURE) is anelectronic voting system using ID-based blind signature, including acertification authority server for inserting the signature into anelectronic vote sheet with a voter certification in a state thatcontents of the received electronic vote sheet are unknown according toan ID-based blind signature method and transmitting it to a voterterminal; a collection server for verifying the vote by collecting theelectronic vote sheet containing the signature during a vote time; and avoter terminal for transmitting the vote sheet blinding and encryptingvote contents by using the ID-based blind signature to the certificationauthority server, and encrypting and transmitting the vote sheet to thecollection server without blinding the vote sheet when the electronicvote sheet containing the signature is received from the certificationauthority server.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0040932 (DEVICE AND METHOD OFE-VOTING USING MOBILE TERMINAL) is an e-voting device including a voterID checker which authenticates a voter based on a certificate receivedfrom a mobile terminal of the voter through a mobile network; anencoding key manager which generates and transmits an encoding key forencoding voting contents to the mobile terminal; a voting informationprovider which transmits voting information including electioncandidates to the mobile terminal; and a voting result storing partwhich decodes and stores the encoded voting contents of which IDinformation of the voter is removed from the encoded voting contentsincluding voting result information of the voter based on the votinginformation.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0099165 (ELECTION MANAGEMENTMETHOD AND ELECTION MANAGEMENT SERVER IN NETWORK USING PERSONALTERMINAL) is an election management method in a network using a personalterminal, including the steps of storing, at an election managingserver, identification information of each voter required forwired/wireless communication with each voter; sending, at the electionmanaging server, certain URL information to voter terminals used by thevoters through the identification information of each voter; receiving,at the election managing server, voting information from the voterterminal connected to the certain URL; generating, at the electionmanaging server, a first password code by inputting the votinginformation and the identification information of the voter receivedfrom the voter terminal into a first function; generating, at theelection managing server, a second password code by inputting the firstpassword code to a second function; and storing the generated secondpassword code together with the voting information.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0007949 (SYSTEM FOR FURNISHINGELECTION POSTER IN ON-LINE AND METHOD THEREOF) is an on-line electionposter furnishing system including a central election manager serverwhich computerizes and stores candidate information and election postersincluding a candidate name, an election type, an election area, academicrecords, careers, and election pledges of each election candidatesubmitted to an election management agent, to a database, storeselection information including an election schedule, a polling place, avoting procedure, and election related news to the database, andselectively provides the information stored in the database to a cyberelection poster management server; and the cyber election postermanagement server which provides a site for providing the candidateinformation and the election information, and searches for and providesthe candidate information and the election poster of a particularcandidate by accessing to the central election management serveraccording to a request of a user terminal.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2003-0056259 (METHOD AND SYSTEM OFPERFORMING AN ELECTION CAMPAIGN BASED ON INFORMATION USINGWIRED/WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS) is a method for performing anelection campaign based on information of voters using wired/wirelesscommunication networks. The election campaign method based on the voterinformation using the communication network includes storing the voterinformation, storing candidate PR information which is contents providedto the voter from the candidate, generating and storing an informationprovision voter selection code per item for searching the voter totransmit the item according to the candidate PR information item,storing a forwarding condition to forward the candidate PR information,and searching for the voter to receive the PR information item matchedwith the information provision voter selection code when the forwardingcondition is satisfied, and forwarding the PR information to thesearched voter.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2002-0055734 (METHOD AND SYSTEM FOREXIT POLL BY USING MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION DEVICES) is an exit pollmethod using a mobile telecommunication device which includes a positioninformation service center for locating a user, an election exit pollserver for performing the election exit poll based on the positioninformation of the user, and a short message service center forprocessing a short message for the election exit poll. The exit pollmethod using the mobile telecommunication devices includes receivingposition information of a user according to voting areas from a positioninformation service center; creating a short message for the electionexit poll according to corresponding voting area based on the positioninformation of the user transmitted per voting area and transmitting theshort message to the short message service center; transmitting thetransmitted short message to a wireless modem or a wirelesscommunication device of a corresponding user using a wireless datanetwork; transmitting user response data with respect to the shortmessage to the election exit poll server; and creating an electedcandidate state according to voting areas of the user based on thetransmitted response data.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2001-0103820 (PUBLIC-OPINION POLL USINGWAP-BASED WIRELESS INTERNET TERMINAL) is a method for joining aplurality of subscribers having a WAP-based wireless Internet terminaland subscribed as a public opinion poll member, to members. The systemand the method conduct the public-opinion pull using all of mediaincluding sound, picture, character, and video reproduced by theterminal by including the subscription via the wired Internet includinga home page operated by a public-opinion poll agency together with thedirect subscription over the wireless Internet using the terminal.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2002-0078813 (METHOD FOR SEARCHING PUBLICOPINION USING MOBILE TERMINAL) is a method for surveying public opinionusing a mobile terminal, including storing, at a certain requester ofthe public opinion survey, data of a wanted public opinion survey to aweb server, extracting, at a mobile communication company, a groupadapted to the survey, requesting mobile terminals of the extractedgroup to respond to the survey, connecting, at the mobile terminal user,to the web server using a web browser stored in the mobile terminal andresponding to the survey, and supplying, at the mobile communicationcompany, a predetermined commission to a charged account of the terminaluser who responded to the survey.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-0095215 (ELECTRONIC VOTING SYSTEMUSING MOBILE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL AND METHOD THEREOF) is an electronicvoting system using a mobile communication terminal, including aplurality of voter terminals which receive and display a voting caseshort message, and generate and send voting response short messages whenvoting responses are received from voters, an add-up terminal whichtransmits the voting case short message for a voting case to the voterswho will participate in voting, and receives the voting response shortmessages from the voters to add up and count voting results, and a shortmessage service center which provides a short message transmission andreception service between the voter terminals and the add-up terminal.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-0068884 (METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PUBLICOPINION SURVEY SERVICE USING MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK) is a publicopinion survey service using a mobile communication network, includingchecking whether a mobile communication service subscriber participatesin the public opinion survey and receiving a result through a mobilecommunication terminal, storing users agreeing to the participation inthe public opinion survey, extracting a response panel sample of anintended public opinion survey from the stored users agreeing to theparticipation in the public opinion survey, storing the extractedresponse panel sample, requesting to respond to the public opinionsurvey through mobile communication terminals of a response panelcorresponding to the stored response panel sample using a mobilecommunication network, transmitting public opinion survey questions tothe mobile communication terminals of the response panel agreeing to thepublic opinion survey response request, receiving responses for thepublic opinion survey from the mobile communication terminal, andstoring the received responses of the response panel.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2006-0098671 (CYBER PUBLIC OPINIONRESEARCH SYSTEM AND METHOD) is a cyber public opinion research systemfor searching and collecting writings including a preset keyword byaccessing to other sites of Internet network. The cyber public opinionresearch system includes a web server for approving as a member byreceiving member information from a client who wants to request thepublic opinion research, receiving and storing a keyword for the publicopinion research to a data collection server, displaying the collectedand stored writings to check a valuation per level according topreference or non-preference, and applying a preset weight to thewritings evaluated per level and calculating a public opinion index byconsidering hits; the data collection server for collecting questionsand replies including the corresponding keyword without overlap byconnecting to a knowledge search webpage of a portal site with theregistered keyword, storing the writings per item (data source, writtenwhen, written by, hits, contents (question/reply)), and storing contentsby classifying the contents into the question and the reply; and asearch server for outputting the same result as the search for allportal sites by searching and inquiring the data stored to the datacollection server.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2007-0046314 (SYSTEM FOR PERFORMINGPUBLIC-OPINION POLL USING MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORK AND METHODTHEREOF) is a public-opinion poll system using a mobile communicationnetwork and Internet. The public-opinion poll system using the mobilecommunication network includes a mobile terminal including a camera andtransmitting a subscriber face image pre-captured by the camera, a webserver for transmitting a public-opinion poll participation message tothe mobile communication terminal by accessing the mobile communicationnetwork and the Internet, transmitting the public-opinion poll questionmessage only to the terminal responding to the public-opinion pollparticipation message in the mobile communication terminal, and thenreceiving the captured subscriber face image data from the mobilecommunication terminal, and a public-opinion poll server for checkingblink time and counts in the subscriber face image data received fromthe mobile communication terminal, converting a checking result intoresponse data of the public opinion poll, and generating public-opinionpoll result data by analyzing the response data of the collected publicopinions.

Current methods of collecting public opinions involve having an opinioncollecting server, which is connected to various opinion inputtingterminals through a network. Here, a spread sheet is used as its filesystem. Collecting and storing user opinions and analyzing statistics ofthe collected user opinions are performed with the spread sheet.Therefore, survey results are provided to users only. FIG. 23 is adiagram of a system for automatically collecting opinions based on aspread sheet as its file system. However, this spread sheet-basedopinion collecting system has a drawback in that this is a closedsystem, in which any information or data related to the survey cannot beshared with other users. Therefore, there is a need to have a system, inwhich information or data related to the survey can be shared with otherusers and monitored in real time.

Meanwhile, anyone at anytime and anywhere needs a technology that caneasily and economically use user-customized or personalized survey andelection service using portable information devices includingsmartphones, that is, user-customized survey or election using mobilecloud environment technology.

Mobile cloud is Internet-based data, applications, and related servicesaccessed through smartphones, laptop computers, tablets and otherportable devices.

Mobile cloud computing (MCC) is defined as a package that contains thecombination of cloud technology, mobile computing, and wireless network.This combinational package brings enormous computational resources tocell phone users, network operators as well as cloud technologyproviders. Furthermore, the MCC enables rich mobile execution on mobiledevices, which will be enriched with best user experience (UI).

Mobile cloud applications are defined as software that is programmed tobe accessed over the Internet by various portable computing devices.There are two types of mobile cloud applications that are almostsimilar. These are: mobile cloud apps & mobile web apps. Both of themrun on the mobile device's external server and data are storedexternally and are accessed by a browser over the Internet.

Mobile cloud and web apps are both very different from native mobileapps. Native apps in mobile software development run on one particularmobile device or platform and are downloaded and installed on the mobiledevice. For the native mobile apps, developers must create threedifferent versions of the same mobile app if they want it to be used byiOS, Android and Windows devices. Because mobile cloud apps are notdownloaded, developers can just write one version of their mobile app,and any device with a browser and Internet connection can use it.

The conventional technology does not provide a user editor to generateuser personalized or customized contents in a survey or electionservices based on mobile cloud.

In addition, the conventional technology does not provide an editor forcreating a user-customized survey or poll contents and a databasecapable of storing and sharing the generated user-customized survey orelection service contents. As a result, the conventional technology isnot able to provide survey or election services to meet the needs ofvarious areas of users. The conventional technology does not have adatabase management system to support the entire process of survey orpoll services. Therefore, the conventional technology provides high-costand low-efficiency services. In particular, technology for conductingthe user-customized surveys or election services based on the mobilecloud computing in web/app-based mobile devices has not been provided.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Object of the Invention

To address the above-discussed deficiencies, an aspect of the presentinvention is to a system and a method for automatically collectingopinions such that a manager (or a user) in person can automaticallycollect user opinions required for voting, public opinion polls,surveys, and other feedback on line through PCs or portablecommunication equipment with an easy user interface and automaticallycompile statistics with the collected user opinions.

In addition, another aspect of the present invention is to a system anda method for automatically collecting opinions based on web withfunctions allowing a manager (or a user) to directly manage relatedinformation and procedure and to search for related information.

Specifically, the purposes of the present invention are as follows:

First, the present invention is to provide a user's editor to create adirect user-customized survey or election contents suitable for theiruse to the user.

Second, the present invention is to provide a method for constructing adatabase system for the user-customized survey or election service.

Third, the present invention is to provide the user-customized survey orelection service based on the mobile cloud and the mobile cloudcomputing.

In the following description, opinion collecting or voting service issynonymous with survey or election service. An opinion collecting servermeans a service server.

Here, the ‘user-customized’ means a free format content that the usercan freely produce and generate according to the user's survey orelection purposes.

In the present application, a metadata frame refers to a data model fordesigning a metadata description frame database of the user-customizedsurvey or election service system, and an editor's metadata frame refersto a user interface of a content generator.

[Construction and Operation of the Invention]

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method of theuser-customized survey or election service includes generating aneditor's metadata frame comprising metadata items required for anopinion collecting service; generating contents comprising actualmetadata corresponding to metadata items contained in the metadataframe; distributing the contents to a user terminal; receiving the replycontents from the user terminal in response to the contents; extractinguser's opinion contained in the reply contents and compiling statistics;and providing a result of the statistics compiling.

The method and system of the user-customized survey or election serviceis performed in mobile cloud and mobile cloud computing environment withthe server and the information devices including the user's mobilephone.

The user-customized survey or election service is performed in mobilecloud and mobile cloud computing environment with the server and theinformation devices.

The user-customized survey or election service can be provided to theuser's information devices as a mobile cloud app or a native app.

The method may further include authenticating whether a rightful manageraccesses a server which performs the opinion collecting service, and themetadata frame generating step may be performed when the authenticatingstep confirms that the rightful manager accesses.

The authentication may be performed using at least one of 1) ID/PWcheck, 2) authentication using a certificate or a digital signature, 3)verification using an authentication card and/or a USB memory, and 4)identification using biometric information, and the biometricinformation may include at least one of a photo, voice, a fingerprint,and an iris.

The biometric information may be obtained through a device equipped orconnected to a server which conducts the opinion collecting service.

The contents may include at least one of contents comprising informationto refer to before opinion decision, and contents used to input thedetermined opining after the opinion decision.

The user-customized survey or election service may be a service forcollecting a voting result, the contents comprising the information torefer to before the opinion decision may be contents comprisinginformation relating to a candidate, and the contents used to input thedetermined opining after the opinion decision may be contents whichfunction as a ballot paper.

The user-customized survey or election service may be a service forcollecting opinion, the contents comprising the information to refer tobefore the opinion decision may be contents comprising a question, andthe contents used to input the determined opining after the opiniondecision may be contents which function as a response collecting paper.The question may include at least one of a multiple-choice question anda short-answer question. The distributing step may selectivelydistribute the contents only to users which are opinion collectingtargets.

The distributing step may distribute the contents with at least one of amobile phone number, an IP address, and an E-mail address of the usersof the opinion collecting target.

The method may further include storing the reply contents received inthe receiving step.

The method may further include outputting a count state of the replycontents in real time.

The editor's metadata frame generating step may further includeextracting metadata items required for an automatic opinion collectingservice; generating and databasing the extracted metadata items asmetadata description frames; extracting necessary metadata descriptionframes from the databased metadata description frames; and generating aneditor's metadata frame of a table type by converting the extractedmetadata description frames.

The metadata item extracting step may extract the metadata items usingaccording to an ontology scheme.

The databasing step may generate metadata description frames with theextracted metadata items using a description method according to atleast one of a data model of Resource Description Framework (RDF),eXtensible Hyper Text Markup Language (XHTML), and eXtensible MarkupLanguage (XML) database, and a spread sheet.

The method may further include generating a metadata description frameby reversely converting a reply metadata frame of the table typecontained in the received reply contents, to a metadata descriptionframe, and databasing the generated metadata description frame.

The method may further include searching for intended information in thedatabased metadata description frames.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method ofuser-customized survey or election for inputting opinions includesshowing opinion determining contents which contain information to referto before opinion decision; receiving user opinion from a user usingopinion inputting contents used to input the determined opinion afterthe opinion decision; generating reply contents containing the useropining input in the inputting step; and transmitting the replycontents.

The method may further include receiving the opinion determiningcontents and the opinion inputting contents from a server which performsan opinion collecting service, and the transmitting step may transmitthe reply contents to the server.

The user-customized survey or election service may include at least oneof a service for collecting a voting result and a service for collectingopinion.

The user-customized survey or election service may be a service forcollecting the voting result, the contents comprising the information torefer to before the opinion decision may be contents comprisinginformation relating to a candidate, and the contents used to input thedetermined opining after the opinion decision may be contents whichfunction as a ballot paper.

The user-customized survey or election service may be a service forcollecting opinion, the contents comprising the information to refer tobefore the opinion decision may be contents comprising a question, andthe contents used to input the determined opining after the opiniondecision may be contents which function as a response collecting paper.

The opinion inputting step may convert and show the opinion inputtingcontents to a user interface through which the user is able to input theopinion while reading, and then receive the user opinion from the user.

The method may further include authenticating whether the user is arightful user for the opinion decision, and the transmitting step may beperformed when the user is verified as the rightful user.

The authentication may be performed using at least one of 1) ID/PWcheck, 2) authentication using a certificate or a digital signature, 3)verification using an authentication card and/or a USB memory, and 4)identification using biometric information, and the biometricinformation may include at least one of a photo, voice, a fingerprint,and an iris.

The biometric information may be obtained through a device equipped orconnected to a terminal which receives the user opinion.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a system ofthe user-customized survey or election service includes a service serverfor generating an editor's metadata frame comprising metadata itemsrequired for the user-customized survey or election service, generatingcontents comprising actual metadata corresponding to the metadata itemscontained in the editor's metadata frame, distributing the contents tothe user terminal, receiving the reply contents from the user terminalin response to the contents, extracting user's opinion contained in thereply contents and compiling statistics, and providing a result of thestatistics compiling; and an opinion inputting terminal for receivinguser opinion from a user using the contents received from the opinioncollecting server, generating reply contents containing the useropinion, and transmitting the reply contents to the service server.

The contents may include at least one of contents comprising informationto refer to before opinion decision, and contents used to input thedetermined opining after the opinion decision.

The service server may extract metadata items required for theuser-customized survey or election service, generate and database theextracted metadata items as metadata description frames, extractsnecessary metadata description frames from the databased metadatadescription frames, and generate an editor's metadata frame of a tabletype by converting the extracted metadata description frames by aprogram complier.

The opinion collecting server may generate a metadata description frameby reversely converting a reply metadata frame of the table typecontained in the received reply contents, to a metadata descriptionframe, and database the generated metadata description frame.

Effect of the Invention

As set forth above, according to the present invention, it is possibleto automatically collect on line the user opinions required for thevoting, the public opinion poll, the survey, and other feedback throughthe PC or the portable communication equipment with the easy andconvenient user interface, and to automatically compile the statisticswith the collected user opinions. In addition, it is easy to store andretrieve the related information. Hence, by utilizing the system of thepresent invention as the web service, the voters or the researchers canconveniently and easily conduct the voting or the opinion surveyactivity anytime and anywhere without limitations on the physical placeand the time, thus creating economic and social benefits.

Particularly, the manager (or the user) can produce economic and socialbenefits by automatically conducting the election promotion using thebanner and the paper poster candidate promotion materials, the analogelection/voting procedure and statistics limited to particular time andplace, and the opinion public poll or the opinion survey using thequestionnaire or the phone call, and directly using the Internet or theinformation device such as mobile phone without intervention of aservice agent.

In particular, the advantageous effects of the present invention are asfollows:

-   -   It is possible to share all information related to public        opinions among users. For example, the database-based        user-customized survey or election service system of the present        invention enables all users to share contents, procedures, and        results of all surveys conducted with users. However, the file        system-based opinion collection does not provide such data        sharing capability.    -   It is possible to store information regarding the survey        logically in the database (database schema). However, the file        system-based opinion collection does not provide such        capability.    -   It is possible to monitor several surveys simultaneously and        store/collect/analyze data in real time. However, the file        system-based opinion collection does not provide such        capability.    -   It is possible to easily search for all information related to        previous surveys stored in the database with various search        terms.

As described above, the mobile cloud and the mobile cloudcomputing-based user-customized survey or election service system of thepresent invention can provide a survey or election service and systemusing information devices such as a smartphone regardless of time andplace.

It is possible to provide the mobile cloud apps, the mobile webapps-based or the native web-based and user-customized survey orelection service having best user experience (UI).

The user's customized survey or election service of the presentinvention as a mobile cloud application can be built quickly as mobilecloud services and can deliver to many different devices with differentoperating systems.

The user's customized survey or election service based on the mobile appof the present invention that runs on the cloud is not constrained by adevice's storage and processing resources. The user's customized surveyor election service based on the mobile cloud computing of the presentinvention enables users to quickly and securely collect and integratedata from various sources, regardless of where it resides.

The user's customized survey or election service of the presentinvention based on mobile cloud computing provides flexibility toefficiently share processing and data storage between the device and thecloud to optimize performance and scalability.

The cloud-based user's customized survey or election service of thepresent invention guarantees the portability and convenience of mobileservice.

THE BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinionsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of an opinion collecting server ofFIG. 1 ,

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of an opinion inputting terminal ofFIG. 1 ,

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for collecting electronic votingresults and providing an election result according to another embodimentof the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a diagram of an example of a candidate information metadataframe,

FIG. 6 is a diagram of an example of candidate information contents,

FIG. 7 is a diagram of an example of ballot paper contents,

FIG. 8 is a diagram of an example of reply contents generated in stepS445 of FIG. 4 ,

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for collecting opinions using anelectronic survey and providing a collected result according to anotherembodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 10 is a diagram of an example of a question metadata frame,

FIG. 11 is a diagram of an example of question contents,

FIG. 12 is a diagram of an example of response contents, and

FIG. 13 is a diagram of an example of the reply contents generated instep S945 of FIG. 9 .

FIG. 14 is a diagram of an example of metadata extraction of an electionvoting service according to an ontology classification method,

FIG. 15 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to RDF,

FIG. 16 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to XML,

FIG. 17 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to arelational data model,

FIG. 18 is a diagram of an example of metadata extraction of the opinionpoll service according to the ontology classification method,

FIG. 19 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to theRDF,

FIG. 20 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to theXML,

FIG. 21 is a diagram of a metadata description frame according to therelational data model, and

FIG. 22 is a diagram of an example for reversely converting the replycontents of a table type to the metadata description frame.

FIG. 23 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinionsbased on a spread sheet as its file system.

FIG. 24 is another diagram of a system for automatically collectingopinions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 25 is a diagram of three different phases of a database data modelaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 26 is a diagram of a database-based system for automaticallycollecting opinions according to an embodiment of the present invention,which is a combination of a survey information retrieval system and asurvey monitoring system.

FIG. 27 is an example of an SQL program for generating a metadata framein the table format of FIG. 21 as a database.

FIG. 28 is an example of an SQL program for constructing a designedmetadata frame as a database.

FIG. 29 is a program for generating the editor's metadata frame from themetadata description frame database constructed with the program of FIG.27 with SQL compiler.

FIG. 30 is an example of an SQL program of a content generator (140 inFIG. 2 ).

FIG. 31 is an embodiment of a metadata frame converter (125 in FIG. 2 ).

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the present invention is explained in detail by referringto the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system for automatically collecting opinionsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. The system forautomatically collecting opinions is a system capable of automaticallycollecting opinions of multiple people and compiling statistics with thecollected opinions.

FIG. 24 is another diagram of a system for automatically collectingopinions according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.It is noted that instead of using a file system as shown in FIG. 23 ,FIG. 24 shows that the system uses a database system for storing andcollecting user opinions. Here, the database is provided independentlyfrom the opinion collecting server 100.

A representative example of the opinion can include 1) a voting which isthe opinion for selecting a particular candidate in an election, 2)opinions of people for a particular agenda, and the like.

Hence, the system for automatically collecting opinions according toembodiments of the present invention can provide 1) a solution forproviding an election result by collecting/counting voting results ofvoters and 2) a solution for researching and collecting opinions ofpeople and then providing statistically processed results.

As shown in FIG. 1 , the system for automatically collecting opinionsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention includes an opinioncollecting server 100 and opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through200-N.

The opinion collecting server 100 is connected with the opinioninputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N to communicate over a network(N). A type of the network N for interconnecting the opinion collectingserver 100 and the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N arenot limited, and can be implemented using an adequate network ifnecessary.

For example, when the system for automatically collecting opinionsaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is utilized as asystem for collecting opinions of employees in a company, the network Ncan use a LAN. However, when the system for automatically collectingopinions according to an embodiment of the present invention is utilizedas a system for collecting voting results in a nationwide election, thenetwork N needs to use a WAN, a mobile communication network, a PSTN, ora combination of some of them.

Also, how the opinion collecting server 100 and the opinion inputtingterminals 200-1 through 200-N are connected to the network N is notlimited. They can be connected to the network N by wire or by wireless,and a communication protocol is not limited either.

In the system for automatically collecting opinions according to anembodiment, the opinion collecting server 100 inquires of the opinioninputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N about the opinion of a user.

When the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N send opinionsof users to the opinion collecting server 100 in reply to the inquiry,the opinion collecting server 100 compiles statistics with the receivedopinions of the users and provides the result.

Hereafter, the opinion collecting server 100 and the opinion inputtingterminals 200-1 through 200-N of FIG. 1 are described in further detail,and the opinion collecting server 100 is explained first by referring toFIG. 2 .

The service content or opinion inputting terminal 200 in the exemplaryembodiments can be implemented using the PC and portable communicationequipment such as mobile phone, PDA, smartphone, table, and etc.

The technical feature of the present invention is to provide auser-customized survey or election service in a mobile cloud environmentas shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIG. 1 , the present invention is to provide theuser-customized survey or election service based on the Internet, andthe service system is composed of a service server and the informationdevices of user clients.

The cloud service of the user-customized survey or election service ofthe present invention is managed by the management system of themetadata description frame database of the service server for theuser-customized survey or election service contents.

The mobile computing of the user-customized survey or election serviceof the present invention is to create the user-customized survey orelection service contents using the editor's metadata frame that theservice server provides to the information devices including the user'ssmartphone.

In addition, the user information device, which is for a client usingthe user-customized survey or election service, includes a portabledevice, and the service server and the client device are connectedthrough a wired or wireless network.

The features of the user-customized survey or election service system ofthe present invention are consistent with those of mobile cloud, mobilecloud computing, and mobile cloud application.

Consequently, the user-customized survey or election service of thepresent invention is a mobile computing application service based onmobile cloud and mobile cloud computing.

Of course, the user-customized survey or election service of the presentinvention can be provided as a mobile web/app or a native app service tothe user's information devices including smartphones.

Mode of the Invention

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the opinion collecting server 100of FIG. 1 . Blocks constituting the opinion collecting server 100 asshown can be implemented using S/W and H/W. Also, some of the blocksconstituting the opinion collecting server 100 can be implemented usingS/W and the remaining blocks can be implemented using H/W.

The opinion collecting server 100, as shown in FIG. 2 , includes ametadata extraction unit 105 and a metadata description frame generator110 on the side of a system service provider, a manager authenticationunit 115, a service selector 120, a metadata frame converter 125, ametadata description frame DB 135, a content generator 140, a contentdistributor 145, a distributed site DB 150, a reply content receiver155, a metadata frame reverse converter 160, a reply information DB 165,a statistics compiler 170, a statistics compiling S/W 175, a resultprocessor 180, a real-time monitor 185, and an information searcher 190on the side of a manager.

The metadata extraction unit 105 and the metadata description framegenerator 110 are a preprocessor to be installed prior to a self systemservice which furnishes the opinion collecting system service.Originally, metadata indicates data relating to the information. Inembodiments of the present invention, the metadata indicates data to becontained in contents necessary for the opinion collecting service, andmetadata items indicate metadata property, category, type, and value.

For example, questions and answers of the survey service contents aremetadata.

The ‘question’ metadata should be suppressed, for example, within 30characters of the alphabet. The format of the response is amultiple-choice, short answer, and etc., and the response are metadataitems.

In the present invention, the relationship between the metadata andmetadata items is defined as a metadata frame. The metadata frame is adata model for constructing a database to create and to store contentsof the user-customized survey or election service.

The metadata extraction unit 105 extracts, classifies, and organizes themetadata items required for the automatic opinion collecting serviceprovided by the system for automatically collecting opinions asmentioned above. The metadata items are extracted, classified, andarranged with a methodology using ontology, which shall be explainedlater.

The ontology in the present invention is a system classifying themetadata items required for the service into hierarchical relationshipsand premise part relations, and is defined as word representation, whichbecomes the metadata items of the service (see FIG. 14 and FIG. 18 ).

The metadata description frame generator 110 generates the metadataitems and the meta data frame relating to the opinion collecting serviceextracted by the metadata extraction unit 105 using the ontology scheme,as a metadata description frame.

At this time, a metadata description frame scheme can employ at leastone of 1) a description method according to Resource DescriptionFramework (RDF), 2) a description method according to eXtensible HyperText Markup Language (XHTML) or eXtensible Markup Language (XML), 3) adescription method according to a data model of the database, and 4) adescription method according to spread sheet.

A metadata description frame structure is necessary to enhanceefficiency of the automatic opinion collecting system according to anembodiment of the present invention, and directly involves enhancementof a user interface and easiness of information search.

The metadata description method according to the RDF representationdescribes the frame of the metadata in a graphical structure bycombining basic description units of the metadata into three elements ofresource, property, and value.

The metadata description method according to the XHTM or XMLrepresentation describes the metadata frame in a tree structure withstructural element type, class property, and IDentification (ID)property of the metadata.

Meanwhile, the metadata description method according to the data modelrepresentation of the database can describe the metadata frame with thedata model scheme of the database, that is, with a hierarchical datamodel, a network data model, a relational data model, an object-orienteddata model, and NoSQL database data model.

A data processing system of the spread sheet type such as excel ofMicrosoft may be used. The data processing system of the spreadsheettype refers to a system using the data entry form and statisticalfunctions of spreadsheet.

Advantages of the metadata frame description methods according to theRDF, XHTML, and XML representations include high compatibility and highcongeniality with semantic web technology which is studied as anext-generation web technology. Meanwhile, the metadata framedescription methods according to the database data model and the spreadsheet can be mounted using existing stabilized theory techniques andtools.

The metadata description frame generator 110 generates the metadatadescription frame DB 135. For storing a metadata frame with the metadataand metadata items defined by a definite unit of the metadata in theabove-described manner into the metadata description frame, the metadatadescription frame databases of metadata RDF frame, metadata XML frame,metadata XHTML frame, metadata RDB frame, and metadata spreadsheet framemethod is constructed according to the metadata description framemethod.

The metadata description frame generator 110 generates a metadatadescription frame with the metadata defined by a definition unit of themetadata in the above-described manner, and stores it to the metadatadescription frame DB 135. The voting service and the opinion collectingservice in the automatic opinion collecting system as above shall beexplained in detail by referring to FIGS. 14 through 21 .

The manager authentication unit 115 authenticates whether a rightfulmanager accesses the opinion collecting server 100. Herein, the rightfulmanager indicates a manager who manages and takes charge of the opinioncollection via the opinion collecting server 100 or a manager of thecorresponding authority in an institution which manages and takes chargeof the opinion collection via the opinion collecting server 100.

When the opinion collecting server 100 is a server for collecting votingresults, the rightful manager indicates the person in charge of theelection administration, or the person belonging to the institution incharge of the election administration and given the authority.

When the opinion collecting server 100 is a server for collectingopinions, the rightful manager indicates the person authorized to surveyopinions, or the person in charge of the corresponding task in aninstitution authorized to survey opinions.

Herein, the authentication procedure can be performed in variousmanners. For example, the authentication procedure can be carried outby 1) checking ID/PW, 2) authenticating through a certificate or adigital signature, 3) verifying using an authentication card, USBmemory, and the like, and 4) identifying using biometric information(for example, face photo, voice, fingerprint, iris, etc.).

At this time, a) the face photo can be obtained through a PC camera (notshown) of the opinion collecting server 100, b) the voice can beobtained through a microphone (not shown) of the opinion collectingserver 100, c) the fingerprint can be obtained through a fingerprintreader (not shown) connected to the opinion collecting server 100, andd) the iris can be obtained through an iris scanner (not shown)connected to the opinion collecting server 100.

The service selector 120 provides a manager interface for selecting anyone of opinion collecting services supplied by the opinion collectingserver 100. This is useful when the opinion collecting server 100provides several opinion collecting services.

As stated above, the opinion collecting services provided by the opinioncollecting server 100 can be classified into a voting result collectingservice (electronic voting service) and an opinion collecting service(electronic survey service). Accordingly, the service selector 120provides the manager interface for selecting any one of the electronicvoting service and the electronic survey service.

The manager can select an intended service through the managerinterface. At this time, it is understood that the manager is whoverified as the rightful manger by the manager authentication unit 115.

The metadata description frame DB 135 stores metadata descriptionframes. Meanwhile, contents required for the opinion collecting serviceare 1) opinion determining contents and 2) opinion inputting contents.

Herein, 1) the opinion determining contents are contents containinginformation to be referred to before the users make a decision, and 2)the opinion inputting contents are contents used for the users to inputthe determined opinion after making the decision.

The metadata frame converter 125 generates an editor's metadata frame byconverting the metadata description frame defined and described in theRDF, XHTML, database, data model, or spread sheet representation in themetadata description frame DB 135, to a table type which is the userinterface form so that the manager or the user can easily obtain anduse. The metadata frame converter 125 stores (databases) the generatedmetadata frame to the metadata description frame DB 135.

For doing so, the metadata frame converter 125 extracts necessarymetadata description frames from the metadata description frames storedto the metadata description frame DB 135.

Herein, the necessary metadata description frames are 1) metadatadescription frames for the metadata or metadata items to be contained inthe editor's metadata frame of the opinion determining contents and 2)metadata description frames for the metadata or metadata items to becontained in the editor's metadata frame the opinion inputting contents,for the opinion collecting service selected by the service selector 120.

The extracted metadata description frame corresponds to metadata ormetadata items described in the editor's metadata frame.

Thus, when extracting the metadata description frame, the metadata frameconverter 125 refers to which opinion collecting service is selected bythe user through the service selector 120. For example, when the userselects the electronic voting service through the service selector 120,the metadata frame converter 125 extracts the metadata descriptionframes required for the electronic voting service. By contrast, when theuser selects the electronic survey service through the service selector120, the metadata frame converter 125 extracts the metadata descriptionframes required for the electronic survey service.

The metadata frame converter 125 generates the editor's metadata frameof the table type by converting the extracted metadata descriptionframe. More specifically, the metadata frame converter 125 generates theeditor's metadata frame of the table type including the metadata ormetadata items corresponding to the extracted metadata descriptionframe.

As a result, the metadata frame converter 125 generates 1) the opiningdetermining editor's metadata frame including the metadata or metadataitems for the opinion determining contents and 2) the opinion inputtingeditor's metadata frame including the metadata or metadata items for theopinion inputting contents.

The content generator 140 includes actual metadata corresponding to themetadata items contained in the metadata frame generated by the metadataframe converter 125. That is, the contents can indicate the editor'smetadata frame including the actual metadata.

The user contents inputted in the user's actual metadata correspondingto the metadata items of the editor's metadata frame is the same as thecontent in which the user's actual metadata is stored in the metadatadescription frame database.

That is, the user contents generated by the user inputting into theeditor's metadata frame are stored and managed in the metadatadescription frame database.

Every user enters the user's actual metadata in the editor's metadataframe provided to the user's information devices including smartphonesand stores it in the metadata description frame database as shown inFIG. 2 (140->135).

The contents generated by the content generator 140 are the opiniondetermining contents and the opinion inputting contents.

The content distributor 145 distributes the opinion determining contentsand the opinion inputting contents generated by the content generator140, only to the corresponding persons of the user terminals 200-1through 200-N.

To distribute only to the corresponding persons of the user terminals200-1 through 200-N, the content distributor 145 refers to thedistributed site DB 150. This is because the distributed site DB 150includes addresses of users for the opining collection.

Herein, the address of the user indicates a mobile phone number, an IPaddress, and an E-mail address of the user. The mobile phone number isappropriate when the user terminal is a mobile phone, the IP address isappropriate when the user terminal is a PC and the E-mail address isappropriate when the user terminal is either.

The user terminal receiving the distributed contents from the contentdistributor 145 transmits reply contents in response, which is to beexplained. The reply contents include the opinion of the user of theuser terminal.

Then, the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server100 of FIG. 2 receives the reply contents transmitted by the userterminal.

The metadata frame reverse converter 160 reversely converts the replymetadata frame of the table type contained in the reply contentsreceived by the reply content receiver 155, to the metadata descriptionframe of the RDF, XHTML, database model, or spread sheet form, and thusgenerates the metadata description frame. The metadata frame reverseconverter 160 stores (databases) the metadata description frame to thereply information DB 165 and also sends it to the real-time monitor 185.

Meanwhile, the statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's opinioncontained in the reply contents received by the reply content receiver155, compiles the statistics by analyzing the extracted opinion, andthen stores the result to the reply information DB 165. At this time,the statistics compiler 170 uses the statistics compiling S/W.

The result processor 180 generates the statistics compiling result ofthe statistics compiler 170 as visual information.

The real-time monitor 185 processes the reception count state of thereply content receiver 155 as visual information and provides the visualinformation to the manager in real time. Also, the real-time monitor 185provides the visual information of the statistics compiling resultgenerated by the result processor 180 to the manager.

Also, the real-time monitor 185 can send a reply request message to userterminals which do not send the reply contents. In so doing, the messagecan include a total reply rate and a period for reply.

Meanwhile, the transmission/contents of the message can vary accordingto whether the distributed contents are received. For example, it ispossible to send the reply request message only to the user terminalwhich receives and confirms the contents but does not send the replycontents, and not to send the reply request message to the user terminalwhich does not receive the contents. This is because the probability ofthe reply is high when the reply is demanded in the former case.

The information searcher 190 functions to search the metadata item andthe metadata which are the information contained in the metadata frame,for example, to search “candidate” corresponding to “candidate”,“affiliated party”, and “00 party”, or search a search term meeting acertain condition such as “candidate” won “00 election”.

So far, the opinion collecting server 100 of FIG. 2 has been describedin detail. Hereafter, the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through200-N of FIG. 1 are elucidated by referring to FIG. 3 .

Since the opinion inputting terminals 200-1 through 200-N can beimplemented in the same structure, the single opinion inputting terminalis solely illustrated in FIG. 3 and represented by a reference numeral200.

FIG. 25 shows three different phases of a database data model of thepresent invention. The first phase is to design a concept of aparticular survey database. The first phase includes steps ofextracting, classifying, and organizing conceptual design data requiredfor collecting the opinions of the users into vocabulary data asmetadata items. The second phase is to design the survey databaselogically and physically. The second phase includes steps of generatingmetadata description frames by using the metadata items indicatingproperties of data relating to the opinion collecting service andconstructing a database of the metadata description frames. Finally, thethird phase is to construct the survey database. The third phaseincludes steps of databasing the generated metadata description frame.

FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the opinion inputting terminal200. Blocks constituting the opinion inputting terminal 200 as shown canbe implemented using S/W and H/W. Also, some of the blocks constitutingthe opinion inputting terminal 200 can be implemented using S/W and theremaining blocks can be implemented using H/W.

The opinion inputting terminal 200, as shown in FIG. 3 , includes acontent receiver 210, a content reader 220, an opinion input unit 230, areply content generator 240, a user authenticator 250, and a replycontent transmitter 260.

The content receiver 210 receives the contents distributed by thecontent distributor 145 of the aforementioned opinion collecting server100. Since the contents distributed by the content distributor 145 arethe opinion determining contents and the opinion inputting contents, thecontents received by the content receiver 210 are also the opiniondetermining contents and the opinion inputting contents.

The content reader 220 processes to display the opinion determiningcontents received by the content receive 210 in a display so that theuser can read them.

The opinion input unit 230 processes to convert the opinion inputtingcontents received by the content receiver 210 to a user interfacethrough which the user can input his/her opinion as reading and to showit in the display.

Hence, the user can input his/her opinion using the opinion inputtingcontents. The opinion input unit 230 forwards the user's opinion inputthrough the opinion inputting contents to the reply content generator240.

The reply content generator 240 generates the opinion inputting contentsincluding the user's opinion received via the opinion input unit 230, asthe reply contents.

The user authenticator 250 authenticates whether the user who inputs theopinion is the rightful user. Herein, the rightful user indicates theperson who has the right or the authority to input the opinion throughthe opinion inputting terminal 200.

When the opinion collecting service is the electronic voting service,the rightful user is the voter who has the right to vote. When theopinion collecting service is the electronic survey service, therightful user indicates the person belonging to the sample to survey orthe person having the voting right.

At this time, the authentication procedure can be performed usingvarious methods as in the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinioncollecting server 100 as stated above.

Accordingly, the authentication procedure can be carried out by 1)checking JD/PW, 2) authenticating with a certificate or a digitalsignature, 3) verifying using an authentication card, USB memory, andthe like, and 4) identifying using biometric information (for example,face photo, voice, fingerprint, iris, etc.).

At this time, a) the face photo can be obtained through a PC camera (notshown) of the opinion inputting terminal 200, b) the voice can beobtained through a microphone (not shown) of the opinion inputtingterminal 200, c) the fingerprint can be obtained through a fingerprintreader (not shown) connected to the opinion inputting terminal 200, andd) the iris can be obtained through an iris scanner (not shown)connected to the opinion inputting terminal 200.

When the user authenticator 250 verifies the rightful user, the replycontent transmitter 260 sends the reply contents generated by the replycontent generator 240 to the reply content receiver 155 of theaforementioned opinion collecting server 100.

Hereafter, a process for collecting the voting result by conducting theelectronic voting through the automatic opinion collecting system ofFIG. 1 is explained in detail by referring to FIG. 4 .

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method for collecting the electronic votingresult and providing the election result according to another embodimentof the present invention.

In the flowchart of FIG. 4 , the steps shown in the left side areperformed by the opinion collecting server 100, and the steps shown inthe right side are performed by the opinion inputting terminal 200.

As shown in FIG. 4 , the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinioncollecting server 100 authenticates whether the person accessing theopinion collecting server 100 is the rightful manager (S405).

When the rightful manager is authenticated in the step S405 and themanager selects the electronic voting service through the managerinterface provided by the service selector 120 (S41 0), the metadataframe converter 125 generates the candidate information editor'smetadata frame and the ballot paper editor's metadata frame (S415).

Herein, a preferable candidate information editor's metadata frame isthe editor's metadata frame of the table type including the metadataitems relating to the candidate information contents, and an example ofthe candidate information editor's metadata frame is shown in FIG. 5 .

As shown in FIG. 5 , the candidate information metadata frame includes,as the candidate information metadata items, “vote title”, “manager”,“election date”, “symbol”, “name of candidate”, “age of candidate”,“party of candidate”, “academic records of candidate”, “career ofcandidate”, and “photo of candidate”.

These metadata items correspond to properties of the information to bereferred to by the user to determine the candidate. That is, themetadata items correspond to the properties of the necessary informationfor the opinion decision of the user who casts a vote, as explainedearlier.

Meanwhile, the ballot paper editor's metadata frame is the editor'smetadata frame including the metadata items required for the user tocast a vote.

Referring back to FIG. 4 , after step S415, the content generator 140generates the candidate information contents and the ballot papercontents by including the actual metadata corresponding to the metadataitems contained in the editor's metadata frame generated in step S415(S420).

FIG. 6 depicts an example of the candidate information contents. Thecandidate information contents of FIG. 6 are generated by includinginformation of the actual election and information of the actualcandidate to the candidate information metadata frame of the table typeof FIG. 6 .

More specifically, the candidate information contents of FIG. 6include 1) “8th parliamentary election” as the actual metadata for themetadata item “vote title”, 2) “parliamentary election managementcommittee” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “manager”, 3)“Apr. 7, 2012” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “electiondate”, 4) “No. 1” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “symbol”,5) “Lee Mong Yong” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “name ofcandidate”, 6) “42” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “age ofcandidate”, 7) “XX party” as the actual metadata for the metadata item“party of candidate”, 8) “graduated from Good Elementary School in1985/graduated from Outstanding University with economics major in1995/obtained master degree in Harvard University in U.S.A. in 2000” asthe actual metadata for the metadata item “academic records ofcandidate”, 9) “XX Electronics researcher/XX governor/Oth member of theNational Assembly” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “careerof candidate”, and 10) a photo of the candidate as the actual metadatafor the metadata item “photo of candidate”.

Meanwhile, FIG. 7 depicts an example of the ballot paper contents. Asshown in FIG. 7 , the ballot paper contents include the metadata itemsrequired for the voting and the actual metadata of the metadata items,and accordingly, it is noted that the ballot paper contents can functionas the ballot paper.

The metadata items in the ballot paper contents of FIG. 7 are “votetitle”, “election date”, “symbol”, “name”, and “vote column”. In theballot paper contents, 1) the actual metadata for the metadata item“vote title” is “8th parliamentary election”, 2) the actual metadata forthe metadata item “election date” is “Apr. 7, 2012”, 3) the actualmetadata for the metadata item “symbol” is “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6”,and “7”, and 4) the actual metadata for the metadata item “name ofcandidate” is “Lee Mong Yong”, “Kim Cheal Soo”, “Lee Young Hee”, “ParkYoung Seok”, “Choi Jin Soo”, “Jung Sung Hoon”, and “Ha Dong Soo”.

Meanwhile, the actual metadata for “vote column” is not recorded, whichis recorded in step S445 according to the voting of the user input instep S440 to be explained.

Referring back to FIG. 4 , after step S420, the content distributor 145distributes the candidate information contents and the ballot papercontents generated in step S420 to the user terminal 200 (S425). Asdistributing in step S425, the content distributor 145 refers to thedistributed site DB 150.

Then, the content receiver 210 of the opinion inputting terminal 200receives the candidate information contents and the ballot papercontents distributed in step S425 (S430).

The content reader 220 shows the candidate information contents receivedin step S430 in the display so that the user can read them (S435).

The opinion input unit 230 processes to convert the ballot papercontents received in step S430 to the user interface through which theuser can read to cast a vote, and to display in the display (S440).

Hence, the user can cast a vote for his/her intended candidate using theballot paper contents.

Then, the reply content generator 240 generates the reply contents withthe ballot paper contents including the candidate selected by the userin step S440 (S445).

An example of the reply contents generated in step S445 is shown in FIG.8 . The reply contents of FIG. 8 are the ballot paper contents including“candidate No. 1 Lee Mong Yang”.

Referring back to FIG. 4 , after step S445, the user authenticator 250authenticates whether the user voted in S440 is the rightful user(S450).

When the rightful user is confirmed in step S450 (S450-Y), the replycontent transmitter 260 transmits the reply contents generated in stepS445 to the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server100 (S455).

Then, the reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server100 receives the reply contents transmitted in step S455 (S460).

The reply contents received in step S460 are stored to the replyinformation DB 165.

Meanwhile, it is possible to send the reply contents received in stepS460 to the real-time monitor 185 as well so that the real-time monitor185 outputs the vote count state in real time.

The statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's voting result in thereply contents received in step S460, and compiles the statistics withthe extracted voting result (S465).

Then, the result processor 180 generates the statistically compiledresult of step S465 as the visual information, and the real-time monitor185 displays the generated visual information in the display in realtime and provides it to the manager in real time (S470).

Hereafter, a process for collecting opinions through the electronicsurvey using the automatic opinion collecting system of FIG. 1 isexplained in detail by referring to FIG. 9 .

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a method for collecting opinions using theelectronic survey and providing the collection result according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

In the flowchart of FIG. 9 , the steps shown in the left side areperformed by the opinion collecting server 100, and the steps shown inthe right side are performed by the opinion inputting terminal 200.

As shown in FIG. 9 , the manager authentication unit 115 of the opinioncollecting server 100 authenticates whether the person accessing theopinion collecting server 100 is the rightful manager (S905).

When the rightful manager is confirmed in step S905 (S905-Y) and themanager selects the electronic survey service through the managerinterface provided by the service selector 120 (S910), the metadataframe converter 125 generates the question editor's metadata frame andthe response editor's metadata frame (S915). At this time, the questioncan include at least one of a multiple-choice question and ashort-answer question.

Herein, the question editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadataframe including the metadata items for the question contents, and FIG.10 shows an example of the question metadata frame.

As shown in FIG. 10 , the question editor's metadata frame includes, asthe question metadata items, “title”, “manager” “question 1”, “question2”, . . . , “respondent”, and “date of response”.

The metadata items correspond to the properties of the information torefer to when the user determines the opinion and other basicinformation.

Meanwhile, the response editor's metadata frame is the editor's metadataframe including the metadata items required for the user to input theresponse to the question.

Referring back to FIG. 9 , after step S915, the content generator 140generates the question contents and the response contents by includingactual metadata corresponding to the metadata items contained in themetadata frame generated in step S915 (S920).

FIG. 11 depicts an example of the question contents. The questioncontents in FIG. 11 are generated by including actual basic informationand actual questions to the question metadata frame of FIG. 10 .

Specifically, the question contents of FIG. 11 include 1) “MT opinionsurvey” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “title”, 2)“student council” as the actual metadata for the metadata item“manager”, 3) “new term MT place . . . Mt. Mai” as the actual metadatafor the metadata item “question 1”, 4) “MT date . . . April 15” as theactual metadata for the metadata item “question2”, 5) “Lee Mong Yong” asthe actual metadata for the metadata item “respondent”, and 6)“2012.0.0” as the actual metadata for the metadata item “date ofresponse”.

Meanwhile, FIG. 12 depicts an example of the response contents. As shownin FIG. 12 , the response contents include metadata items required forinputting responses for the questions and actual metadata of themetadata items. Hence, the response contents can function as a responsecollecting paper.

The metadata items in the response contents of FIG. 12 are “title”,“date”, “question 1”, “question2”, . . . In the response contents, 1)the actual metadata for the metadata item “title” is “MT opinionsurvey”, and 2) the actual metadata for the metadata item “date” is“2012.0.0”.

Meanwhile, while the actual metadata for the metadata items “question 1”and “question2” are not included, they are included in step S945according in step S945 to the response of the user input in step S940 tobe explained.

Referring back to FIG. 9 , after step S920, the content distributor 145distributes the question contents and the response contents generated instep S920 to the user terminal 200 (S925). In the distribution of stepS925, the content distributor 145 refers to the distributed site DB 150.

Then, the content receiver 210 of the opinion inputting terminal 200receives the question contents and the response contents distributed instep S925.

The content reader 220 shows the question contents received m step S930in the display so that the user can read them (S935).

The opinion inputting unit 230 converts the response contents receivedin step S930 to the user interface through which the user can input theresponse for the question while reading it, and processes to show it inthe display (S940).

Hence, the user can input his/her intended response using the responsecontents.

Then, the reply content generator 240 generates the reply contents withthe response contents including the response input by the user in stepS940 (S945).

An example of the reply contents generated in step S945 is shown in FIG.13 . The reply contents of FIG. 13 are the response contents which input“Mt. Songni” in response to “new term MT place . . . ” and “April 15” inresponse to “MT date . . . ”.

Referring back to FIG. 9 , after step S945, the user authenticator 250authenticates whether the user responding in step S940 is the rightfuluser (S950).

When confirming the rightful user in step S950, the reply contenttransmitter 260 transmits the reply contents generated in step S945 tothe reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100(S955).

The reply content receiver 155 of the opinion collecting server 100receives the reply contents transmitted in step S955 (S960).

The reply contents received in step S960 are stored to the replyinformation DB 165.

Meanwhile, it is possible to send the reply contents received in stepS960 also to the real-time monitor 185 so that the real-time monitor 185outputs the response count state in real time.

The statistics compiler 170 extracts the user's response in the replycontents received in step S960, and compiles the statistics with theextracted response (S965).

The result processor 180 generates the visual information with thestatistically compiled result of step S965, and the real-time monitor185 shows the generated visual information in the display in real timeto provide to the manager in real time (S970).

The exemplary embodiments explained so far can be applied to the publicopinion poll.

The opinion inputting terminal 200 in the exemplary embodiments can beimplemented using the PC and portable communication equipment such asmobile phone or PDA.

Meanwhile, the order of the manager authenticating step S405 and theuser authenticating step S450 in FIG. 4 can be realized differently. Forexample, the manager authenticating step S405 can be performed any timebefore step S425, and the user authenticating step S450 can be performedbefore step S435 as well.

This also applies to the manager authenticating step S905 and the userauthenticating step S950 in FIG. 9 .

Hereafter, the necessary functions of the automatic opinion collectingsystem provider of the present invention before the service provision,that is, the functions of the metadata extraction unit 105 and themetadata description frame generator 110 of FIG. 2 are elucidated.

FIG. 14 depicts an example of the election voting ontologyclassification as the method for databasing the item relating to theelectronic voting in the automatic opinion collecting system accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 14 , theproperties of the resource ‘election voting’ include ‘presidentialelection’, ‘election for member of the National Assembly’, and so on,the resource ‘election for member of the National Assembly’ includes theproperties ‘manager’, ‘election title’, ‘election date’, and so on,which contain (input) instance. “SubClassOF” in FIG. 14 is theexpression indicating subsumption relation that the higher subsumes thelower.

FIG. 15 depicts the relations between the elements of the ‘electionvoting’ related metadata of FIG. 14 described and expressed using theRDF. In FIG. 15 , the graph is drawn with three elements of theresource, the property, and the value.

A database of metadata RDF frame method can be implemented bytriplestore, RDF store, or graph database. A triplestore or RDF store isa purpose-built database for the storage and retrieval of triplesthrough semantic queries. A triple is a data entity composed ofsubject-predicate-object. Much like a relational database, one storesinformation in a triplestore and retrieves it via a query language.Unlike a relational database, a triplestore is optimized for the storageand retrieval of triples. In addition to queries, triples can usually beimported/exported using Resource Description Framework (RDF) and otherformats. A graph database has a more generalized structure than atriplestore, using graph structures with nodes, edges, and properties torepresent and store data.

Therefore, the metadata frame for constructing the database of theuser-customized survey or election service of the present inventionmethod implemented by the metadata RDF frame method using the DBtechnique as described above can be implemented by the metadata RDFframe database.

FIG. 16 redescribes and reexpresses the metadata ‘election voting’described and expressed using the RDF in FIG. 14 , using the XML. FIG.17 is a diagram of the metadata frame according to the relational datamodel of the database. The metadata frame according to the spread sheettype can be described similarly to the relation data model. The databaseby the method of the above XHTML or XML description parses and saves theXML file using DomPaser. The XML storage DB is implemented in RDB orNoSQL DB. The metadata frames described in XML as shown in FIG. 16 andFIG. 20 are parsed by the DomPaser, and the parsed results are stored inthe metadata description frame database using the RDB or NoSQL DB.

The following is a description of implementation of metadata descriptionframe database construction using the metadata spreadsheet frame method.

A spreadsheet consists of a table of cells arranged into rows andcolumns and referred to by the X and Y locations. A spreadsheet isessentially just one table.

The editor's metadata frame of the present invention for creating usercustomized surveys and election content is created using the data entryform of the spreadsheet or word/document processor.

However, the survey or election service based on the spreadsheetdescription frame cannot provide a metadata frame for a common editor toa plurality of users for a single service.

Because the survey and election service system based on the spreadsheetdescription frame is a single user service, it cannot provide a metadataframe and database for editors that can be shared by multiple users.

In addition, there is no function to store the generated user-customizedcontent, and each service results in a common database. That is, thespreadsheet description frame method is generated as a single table fileas shown in FIG. 23 and is only stored in the user's personal filesystem.

In the conventional technology, because there was no spreadsheetsupporting mobile cloud computing, there was no user-customized surveyor election service system using spreadsheets.

The service system requires a database, in which relevant data such asuser surveys or election results and contents generated from each user'sspreadsheet description frame are jointly stored and managed. As aconcrete implementation method, there is a method of integrating adatabase into a spreadsheet description method.

In other words, the editor's metadata frame can be processed using aspreadsheet data entry method, and content data of each inputted usercan be stored in a database. The metadata spreadsheet description framedatabase can be implemented by importing the database (FIG. 24 ) intothe spreadsheet description method of the file system (FIG. 23 ).

However, it is much more efficient to build a database using therelational database technology.

Also, it is possible to build a database based on the relationaldatabase description method to provide metadata frames for editors andto import spreadsheets for statistical results processing.

In addition, services using NoSQL databases such as Mongo DB other thanthe relational database are also possible.

FIG. 18 is a diagram of the metadata items according to the ontologyrepresentation for defining and extracting the metadata for “publicopinion poll execution” in the automatic opinion collecting systemaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a diagram of the metadata frame according to the ontologyrepresentation with the RDF, and FIG. 20 is a diagram of the metadataframe according to the ontology representation with the XML. FIG. 21 isa diagram of a metadata frame according to the ontology representationwith the relational data model.

FIG. 22 is a diagram of an example for reversely converting the replycontents of the table type to the metadata description frame. This isthe function of the metadata frame reverse converter 160 and correspondsto the reply contents of FIG. 8 described using the XML which is one ofthe metadata description frame representations.

The following describes an embodiment of a specific implementation ofconstructing a metadata frame represented by the relational databasemodel of FIG. 21 as a metadata description frame database. The databaseimplementation method of the relational database model uses SQL, whichis the relational database standard language.

FIG. 27 is an SQL program that generates the metadata frame in the tableformat of FIG. 21 as a database.

In the SQL program of the above embodiment, the name of the database tobe built is CREATE DATABASE sample1. The table of the metadata frame inFIG. 21 is defined as SQL CREATE TABLE sample11. Also, metadata andmetadata items are defined as name, question, answer, answertype, date,etc. in SQL TABLE.

FIG. 28 is the SQL for constructing the designed metadata frame as adatabase. The metadata frame composed of the metadata and metadata itemsis constructed as a metadata description frame database using themetadata description frame method of the relational database data model.

FIG. 29 is a program for generating the editor's metadata frame from themetadata description frame database constructed with the program of FIG.27 with a SQL compiler, and

FIG. 29 is a program to extract metadata and metadata items from thefields (metadata description frame) in the database to regenerate therecorded metadata and metadata items of the editor's metadata frame bythe SQL compiler.

FIG. 30 is a SQL program of the content generator (140 in FIG. 2 ) thatreceives the user's actual metadata corresponding to the extractedmetadata and metadata items and stores the metadata in the metadatadescription frame database, respectively.

The user interface of the content generator is the editor's metadataframe.

The editor's metadata frame of the present invention is a table typeuser interface, and the editor's metadata frame appearance is programmedto be produced as a web page suitable for each information device screenusing HTML5 and CSS3 programs.

And the generated editor's metadata frame is provided and displayed tothe user's devices including PC, smartphone, and tablet in the devices'suitable page forms from the service server simultaneously as shown inthe FIG. 1 .

Another technical feature of the present invention is to provide amanagement system of the metadata description frame database forgenerating and storing contents of a user-customized survey or electionservice.

A database management system (DBMS) is a software package designed todefine, manipulate, retrieve and manage data in a database. The DBMSgenerally manipulates the data itself, the data format, field names,record structure, and file structure. It also defines rules to validateand manipulate this data. The configuration of the metadata descriptionframe database management system of the user-customized survey orelection service system of the present invention is as follows.

The user-customized survey or election service system of the presentinvention generates the editor's metadata frames capable of inputtingmetadata contained in the user-customized survey or election contentsand creating contents.

The service system of the present invention includes the metadatadescription frame database capable of storing created user contents anda database management system that defines, manipulates, retrieves, andmanages data in the metadata description frame database.

The data definition is a function for specifying the type, structure,usage method, constraints, etc. of metadata and metadata items to bestored in the metadata description frame database of the user-customizedservice or election service system as shown in FIG. 27 .

The data manipulation refers to an interface means between a user and adatabase in order to systematically process search, update, insertion,deletion, etc. of contents or result data accumulated in theuser-customized survey or election service system as shown in FIG. 26 .

In addition, the data management function refers to a processing relatedto the sharing of data stored in the stored metadata description framedatabase of the user-customized survey or election service system asshown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 26 .

FIG. 31 shows an embodiment of the metadata frame converter (S125) ofFIG. 2 .

After constructing the metadata frame of FIG. 21 as a metadatadescription frame database, a process for selecting metadata andmetadata items from the metadata description frame database andgenerating it as an editor's metadata frame (FIG. 10 ) of a userinterface is illustrated.

The user-customized service of the present invention can provide to theuser's information devices as a mobile cloud app or a native app.

The native mobile app of the user's customized survey or electionservice of the present invention can create three different versions ofthe same mobile app for the iOS, Android, and Windows devices.

Also, the mobile app of the user's customized survey or election serviceof the present invention can provide any user's information devicehaving a browser and Internet connection and can use it.

For reference, “ex” in the aforementioned drawings is a “prefix”indicating the metadata, and is hypothetical.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference tocertain preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the appended claims.

1. A system for providing a user or manager-customizable survey or election service based on a mobile cloud using wired or wireless networks, comprising: a service server; a plurality of portable information devices including mobile phones; a central processing unit (CPU); a memory device; and a database (DB) system, wherein the plurality of portable information devices are equipped with hardware and software for processing information related to the user or manager-customizable survey or election service, wherein a manager selects a user-customizable survey or election service provided by the service system on a manager's device, wherein the manager is a person who has been authenticated with the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service, wherein in response to the manager's service selection, the service system generates a manager's metadata frame corresponding to the service selected by the manager from a user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, in which metadata items necessary for the user-customizable survey or election service are stored, wherein the service system displays the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device, wherein the manager inputs a manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame, which is generated from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database and displayed on the manager's device, wherein the service system generates manager's customized survey or election service contents with a metadata, which is an actual data of the manager input in each metadata items on the manager's metadata frame created from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, wherein the service system transmits the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service selected and inputted by the manager to a respondent's device, and wherein the service system receives a response information on the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service transmitted from the respondent.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system designs the metadata frame indicating a relationship between the user-customizable survey or election service and the metadata items and is configured to: classify and organize the metadata items using oncology comprising word representations corresponding to the metadata items required for the user-customizable survey or election service; and database the metadata frame composed of the metadata and the metadata items into a metadata description frame database using a metadata frame description method, wherein the metadata description frame method uses a database data model description method.
 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system displays the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device by creating the manager's metadata frame, which is a user interface with a programmed table type so that the manager's actual data for the extracted metadata and metadata items are entered, and presenting the created manager's metadata frame to the plurality of portable information devices.
 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the service system authenticates the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service with at least one of the following methods: by (i) verifying identification and password, (ii) authenticating through a public certificate or digital signature, (iii) verifying using an authentication card or USB memory, or (iv) verifying using a biometric information.
 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame includes at least one of text, photo, and video and is configured to be monitored in real time.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the respondent's device includes a portable device including a smartphone and a PC, and wherein the contents for the manager's customizable survey or election service include a question and a response as the metadata item, and the response to the question includes a selection type.
 7. A method for a system for providing a user or manager-customizable survey or election service based on a mobile cloud using wired or wireless networks, the system comprising a service server; a plurality of portable information devices including mobile phones; a central processing unit (CPU); a memory device; and a database (DB) system, wherein the plurality of portable information devices are equipped with hardware and software for processing information related to the user or manager-customizable survey or election service, the method comprising: selecting, by a manager, a user-customizable survey or election service provided by the system on a manager's device, wherein the manager is a person who has been authenticated with the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service; in response to the manager's service selection, generating a manager's metadata frame corresponding to the service selected by the manager from a user-customizable survey or election service provider's database, in which metadata items necessary for the user-customizable survey or election service are stored; displaying the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device; inputting, by the manager, a manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame, which is generated from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database and displayed on the manager's device; generating manager's customized survey or election service contents with a metadata, which is an actual data of the manager input in each metadata items on the manager's metadata frame created from the user-customizable survey or election service provider's database; transmitting the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service selected and inputted by the manager to a respondent's device; and receiving a response information on the contents of the user-customizable survey or election service transmitted from the respondent.
 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: designing the metadata frame indicating a relationship between the user-customizable survey or election service and the metadata items and is configured to: classify and organize the metadata items using oncology comprising word representations corresponding to the metadata items required for the user-customizable survey or election service; and database the metadata frame composed of the metadata and the metadata items into a metadata description frame database using a metadata frame description method, wherein the metadata description frame method uses a database data model description method.
 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: displaying the manager's metadata frame on the manager's device by creating the manager's metadata frame, which is a user interface with a programmed table type so that the manager's actual data for the extracted metadata and metadata items are entered, and presenting the created manager's metadata frame to the plurality of portable information devices.
 10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises: authenticating the right to access the user-customizable survey or election service with at least one of the following methods: by (i) verifying identification and password, (ii) authenticating through a public certificate or digital signature, (iii) verifying using an authentication card or USB memory, or (iv) verifying using a biometric information.
 11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the manager's actual data for generating contents of the service selected by the manager on the manager's metadata frame includes at least one of text, photo, and video and is configured to be monitored in real time.
 12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the respondent's device includes a portable device including a smartphone and a PC, and wherein the contents for the manager's customizable survey or election service include a question and a response as the metadata item, and the response to the question includes a selection type. 